A Magical Gift for all ages

I sometimes sneak into the "Juvenile" section of our public library to see what's new. Last week I picked up a copy of a book titled "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" and, honestly, you need to read / view this book. It is like no other book you've held in your hands before. There's no simple way to describe it. Take a wonderful work of fiction, a flip book, a picture book, a graphic novel, a movie -- shake them all together, and you have "The Invention of Hugo Carbret". Author Brian Selznick tells a story that pulls you in from the first turning of the page. It's the story of a young orphaned boy, forced to live in the underground apartment of his uncle, the clock keeper, in a Paris train station, and the tale of the boy's efforts to survive the best way he knows how. A central character in the book is an animated man, discovered by the boy's father in a museum attic, and now being restored by the boy. But the charm of this book -- and I do mean "charm" -- are the way the illustrations (by the author) blend so beautifully with the written words. The full page dark illustations actually replace words and sweep you along the boy's journey as no words could. Often there are no words at all for 10 or 15 pages. It is pure magic. Although found in the Juvenile section and I'm sure aimed at the 9 to 12 year old readers, it is called a "true masterpiece" by Publisher's Weekly and, in my opinion, can be enjoyed by every adult who wants to experience a completely new way to read a book. Better yet, buy it for your child or grandchild, and share it with them! Definitely a book you could read together, or just savor for yourself.